School Officials Take Allegations Of Racism To State

October 14, 1999|By Jeff Coen, Tribune Staff Writer.

LISLE — Allegations of racist conduct on the high school gridiron boiled over Wednesday as officials at Lisle and Dwight Township High Schools moved to file reports with state officials, telling their sides about the alleged use of a racial slur and carving of "KKK" in a locker room.

A spirit of cooperation that had marked the early investigation into Lisle's allegations that its black players were mistreated at a game Friday in the Livingston County town of Dwight dissolved as the two schools took their claims to the Illinois High School Association.

Eric Flohr, Dwight's principal, said dozens of interviews with players and others who were at Friday's game has produced no conclusive evidence that students from his school used racial slurs during the game and carved "KKK" in Lisle's locker room, as leaders at Lisle contend. Dwight leaders said those interviewed included referees, coaches and cheerleaders.

"We cannot substantiate that these allegations did or did not happen," Flohr said.

The preliminary investigation in Lisle has produced a more certain result, officials at the school said, with "consistent and credible" information coming forward from Lisle players and coaches. Lisle has four black players and Dwight has none.

Lisle contacted the IHSA, seeking help in finding a resolution to the situation, according to the school. Flohr said his school was sending its own paperwork to the IHSA to report its findings.

School officials in Dwight were not surprised by Lisle's action, Flohr said, even though he and Lisle Principal Ron Logeman had praised each other's quick work to address the matter earlier in the week.

Jim Flynn, IHSA assistant executive director, said both files will be turned over to the association's football administrator in the hope that a resolution agreeable to both schools can be reached.

"We'll do our own legwork to authenticate the complaints," said Flynn.

During a news conference Wednesday in Dwight, Flohr said 29 of 30 Dwight Township High School football players he interviewed had heard nothing unusual when the two teams faced off.

One player said he thought he heard someone use a racial slur on the field, but Flohr said the Dwight team member told school officials he had no idea where the racial epithet had come from.

"We brought him in twice," Flohr said of the player.

Flohr also continued to insist that the locker room carving had been noticed months ago by female students who regularly use the locker room that serves as the dressing room for visiting football squads. That assertion did nothing to ease concern in Lisle, where the head football coach contends the scratching was fresh.

"We find the presence of a `KKK' symbol on a Dwight locker `for perhaps longer than a year' to be indicative of a lack of sensitivity or proactive stance to eliminate such dehumanizing biases," Lisle High School officials said in a statement forwarded by Logeman's office Wednesday.

Flynn has said the allegations, if substantiated, are a violation of IHSA rules on behavior during games and the association's sportsmanship bylaws, and could result in the suspension of Dwight's football program. He said before such a drastic step is taken, the IHSA will push to have the schools settle the issue.

Flynn cited a high-profile 1997 case in which student fans from Chicago's Brother Rice High School taunted a black basketball player from Thornton High School in Harvey with chants of "Buckwheat" during a game. After the school leaders got together, a Brother Rice spokesman traveled to Thornton and read a formal apology over the school's intercom system.

The IHSA moderated the solution and took no further steps, Flynn said.

Lisle's accusations against Dwight were made public over the weekend by parents of Lisle's black players and Lisle's head coach, Dan Sanko of Naperville. Sanko and Lisle parents have said that black players on the Lisle team were called names and that one Dwight player threatened to shoot a Lisle team member.

Leaders of the Dwight Police Department said investigators who have looked into the matter have found no grounds to charge anyone.

"At this time, short of further information coming forward, our investigation is closed," said Chief Tim Henson.

Police said they were looking into charges against a Lisle fan who allegedly threatened a referee over a call during the game, which Dwight won.